Disclaimer: I do not own Danger Mouse or any canon characters. They are the property of Brian Cosgrove and Mark Hall.

Notes: I'm not going to write out their whole holiday in a seven chapter day-to-day thing, that would be tedious. Especially on the days nothing happens and they just sit there and talk and eat and then sleep. Instead, these chapters (still not seven) will be like snapshots of important moments during their holiday. It could be a fun outing or more concerning the basis for this whole story.

Warnings: Like last chapter, this is pretty tame, but does contain self-putdowns.

Relationship is still platonic. The affections have toned down, though still exist.

I hope you enjoy!

(Linebreaks hate me, so I will use DMEP.)

DMEP

Wouldn't you know it, there is going to be a bit of trouble on this holiday.

As the sun rose, Penfold stirred. The light was waking him. Time I had my anti-depressants anyway. I'll have a sweetie too, while I'm at it. He carefully crawled out of Danger Mouse's embrace and grabbed his spectacles. Slipping them on and letting out a quiet yawn, he tiptoed over to the Mark III, hoping he didn't disturb his best friend.

He soon reached the vehicle. Opening the door and sliding into the passenger's seat, he opened the glove compartment and got out the pill bottle, the spare water bottle and his sweeties bag. Still making sure he stayed as quiet as possible, he opened the bottle and tipped a pill into his palm. He replaced the lid and slipped it back into the glove compartment. He popped the pill into his mouth, opened the water bottle and partook of some of the clear liquid to help him swallow the pill much easier. After downing the liquid and medication, he reached into his sweeties bag and pulled out a wrapped eclair. He unwrapped it and popped it into his mouth, sucking on the caramel until it was soft enough to chew. He threw the wrapper back into the bag, replaced the lid on the water and returned those to the compartment before closing the door on it. He slid out of the Mark III, quietly, carefully shutting the door and making his way back his best friend's side. He was walking past the tent when he felt his foot catch on something. He soon found himself tripping over, bringing the tent down with him.

Danger Mouse stirred, but did not awaken just yet.

Penfold examined the damage. Nothing seemed to be torn, no support poles broken. But, the fact that he, clumsy as ever in his mind, was the one responsible for knocking it down, the feelings he'd been trying to keep at bay were making themselves known again. He bit his bottom lip and sniffed. He could already hear Danger Mouse yelling at him, saying he should've expected something like that to happen, honestly, what was he going to do with him? Tears welled in his eyes. He whimpered, thinking it would be a good idea to hide. He crawled into the collapsed tent, lay in the fetal position and started quietly sobbing. Of course I did this, this is just the kind of hamster I am...

DMEP

Danger Mouse could feel his ears twitching as they picked up a familiar sound. One he hadn't heard for over a month and had hoped to never hear again. He opened his eye and quickly realised Penfold wasn't in his arms. "Penfold? Where are you?" He decided to follow the sound, surely that would lead him to his best friend.

He soon noticed the tent was down. "I don't recall the wind being strong enough to knock it down..." he muttered. He soon realised the sobs were coming from inside the collapsed tent. "Penfold, are you in there? Are you alright?"

"I'm sorry!"

He blinked once in surprise at that sudden, emphatic, tear-logged apology. "Penfold?"

"I broke the tent! I'm sorry! I'm...I'm so clumsy, it's a wonder you put up with me!"

He got onto his knees and lifted where he was sure the door was. He could see the hamster lying on his side, curled up, his back facing the entrance. "It's alright, Penfold, the tent's not broken. This can happen easily, the wind could knock it down if strong enough."

"But, it was because of me..." He sniffed. "I knocked it down and you worked so hard to put it up yesterday..."

"It wasn't that difficult, this is a basic tent." He crawled inside. "Come on, Penfold, I'm not upset about this. These things happen."

"I should've been watching where I was going...how can you even put up with me, DM?"

"Put up with you...?" He smiled tenderly and lay behind him, wrapping an arm around him. "I don't put up with you. I'm with you because I want to be."

"You're just saying that..."

His smile faded into a sympathetic frown. "Oh, Penfold..."

"I'm a good-for-nothing clumsy clod, surely that's how you really feel..."

"Not at all. Come now, we all have moments of clumsiness. You've seen even I do."

"Still, I wouldn't be surprised if you were mad at me for this..."

"Not in the least. I told you, these things happen. It can be a bit frustrating, but it can easily be fixed. We just have to erect this tent again. The frame is still in place, we just have to reconnect the support poles to the corner joints and fasten the rope to the pegs again. That's all."

He sniffed then sighed, reaching up to wipe his eyes. "I'm sorry. I was being silly."

"Not really. For you, this is a genuine concern. Do you feel a little better now?"

"A little."

"Want to come out and help me get the tent back up?"

"Okay."

"There we go. I'll meet you outside." Before letting go, he gave the hamster a gentle kiss on top of his head.

Penfold sighed as he felt, rather than saw, his best friend leave the tent. He inhaled and exhaled twice, willing himself to calm down before finally crawling out.

Danger Mouse was right there waiting for him. He wrapped his arms around him as he emerged. "Come on now, this is supposed to be a stress-free holiday. No matter what happens, you need to try your hardest to tell any of your unwelcome thoughts to push off. You're not clumsy, this was just an accident. I could've done it too. Alright?"

"Okay, DM."

"Right, let's get this up, go into town for breakfast and then get some shopping done. I promise that for tea tonight, you can try my campfire stew." He released the hamster from his embrace. "Help hold that side steady, would you?"

Penfold moved to do as instructed.

"I will admit I am surprised you were up before me this time. You usually save that for Christmas, last year's being the exception."

"The sunrise woke me up. I decided to have my anti-depressant and a sweetie since I was already up. I was on my way back to join you when I tripped over the tent peg."

"I see. That should just about do it...there. See? No harm done."

Penfold could see the tent was standing as proudly as when they'd first pitched it. He smiled in relief seeing he really had only knocked it over but not wrecked it. "What would you have done if I had wrecked it?"

"What would I have done?"

"Surely that would warrant you calling me a clumsy clod."

"Penfold." He crossed his arms and looked at him seriously. "Do you want me to call you that?"

He looked to the ground. "Not really. But, it would be enough to make you angry with me that it would slip out, and I just..."

"Penfold, shush." His tone was firm and he stayed in that stance. "You should know better. I won't call you a clumsy clod for something that was really just an accident. I told you, I could do it too. In fact, it's possible with my depth perception."

"But, yours is actually pretty good!"

"That was just an example." He sighed. "Listen, Penfold, I can tell you over and over again that you are not useless, you are not hopeless, you are not some clumsy clod who is totally incompetant at everything. In fact, I have told you all of that over and over again. But, no matter what I say, unless you believe it yourself, it won't do any good."

He also let out a sigh. "I'm sorry, DM."

"Don't apologise."

"Is...is it getting annoying?"

"No. It's because you shouldn't apologise for something that isn't entirely your fault. The thoughts have been around for too long, it's not like you can dispel them overnight. It will take work. Lots of work."

"I have been trying, DM..."

"I know you have." He stepped closer and placed a paw on the hamster's shoulder. "I've seen it. Whenever you regain a bit of self-confidence, it's because you have been working on proving your thoughts wrong."

"I..."

"It's alright. It's still early days for you."

He looked up at the mouse. "I..." He shook his head. "It's nothing."

"You're about to apologise again, aren't you?"

"Was it that obvious?"

"These days, it's mostly what comes out of your mouth." He quickly realised putting it like that sounded rude. "Excuse me, that didn't come across as polite or kind, did it?"

"No, it's fine, DM. I know what you meant."

"But, I can understand why you feel a need to." He knelt down and embraced the hamster. "It will be alright."

"I don't really understand myself though. Why do I keep apologising?"

"Do you feel guilty for something?"

"Mm. For being me."

"For being you? Penfold, though you have your flaws, I honestly wouldn't have you any other way."

"But, I'm just...I did it again. I let those thoughts take hold again. I'm sorry."

"It will be alright, Penfold, I promise. Like I said, it's still early days. It will take time and work, but you'll soon be able to overcome them." He pulled back, a tender smile marking his face. "I know you will. You've overcome a lot over the years. No matter what happened, you always managed to bounce back from it."

"I guess so."

"You'll be alright, Penfold. I promise. This is one promise I don't ever intend on breaking."

Penfold was looking down. "Unlike those times you promised you wouldn't laugh when I said something I knew was silly?"

He was about to protest to that being brought up, but stopped when he saw the hamster was actually smirking. "Hm, I would prefer your bright smile to that, but at least you're not frowning anymore."

"Hey, DM?"

"Yes?"

"I know I shouldn't apologise, but right now, I want to. I mean, I brought the mood down again."

"It's alright, Penfold. I did it for a moment last night, remember? I guess that now makes us even."

"Not really. It was what I did to start everything that brought your thoughts down. Until you've brought the mood down on your own, we're not even." He was smiling slightly. "But, I would be fine with that. I don't want you to be upset for your own reasons. That would be worse than being upset because of me."

"I'd disagree, but then I know we'll be debating it for the rest of the month. So, is it alright if we end the conversation here?"

"Deal. I'm starting to feel a bit hungry, anyway."

"As am I. The little cafe in town does breakfasts, I'm looking forward to trying their cheese omelettes."

He chuckled. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Come along, Penfold. Time to go into town for breakfast." As he took a step, his foot caught. Soon, he, Penfold (whom he'd crashed into) and the tent were on the ground. He closed his eye and sighed.

"You alright, DM?"

"I should be asking you that." He opened his eye and helped him sit up.

"I'll probably have a bruise later, but nothing too bad."

He turned to regard the tent. He closed his eye again and let out soft chuckles. It soon erupted into loud laughter. "See? I told you so!"

Penfold started chuckling too. It was uncanny that they'd both managed to knock the tent over.

He wiped tears of mirth out of his eye before looking to the hamster. "I told you even I could do it."

"Yeah, you did." He had to wonder if it was intentional. Then again, the mouse wouldn't allow himself to fall on him if it was.

"Oh well, we'll fix it when we get back. Right now, I am eager to try those cheese omelettes. What do you suppose you'll be having?" He rose to his feet and offered his paw to the hamster.

"Probably just some beans on toast." He accepted the assistance to get back onto his feet but did not let go of the mouse's paw.

"Come along, let's get going."

"Right, DM!"

DMEP

I personally think the story should go on, but apparently, the authoress is just doing snapshots of important moments of their holiday. Well, she is the writer, I'm just the narrator. What else does this holiday have in store for our heroes? Find out next time in the next snapshot of this short arc.

DMEP

After-notes: Why the downer chapter all of a sudden? I'm back in a low mindset. Nothing serious, just feeling down again. Besides, just because this holiday is meant to be of a good break, it doesn't necessarily mean the whole thing will be. In fact, I had times like that at Nan and Pop's place; not knocking down a tent and calling myself useless and clumsy, just general low points that resulted in me shutting myself in the bedroom and trying to distract myself (writing depressing self-insert fanfiction for example).

Thanks for reading! You don't have to review, but please don't flame if you do choose to say something. I welcome constructive criticism.